Chattanooga has been a stop for parade of presidents

Former President George W. Bush tries the ribs at Porkers Bar-B-Que during an unexpected stop at the restaurant on Market Street in 2007. The president was in town to talk about healthcare issues, and made stops at Erlanger and the Chattanooga Convention Center.
Former President George W. Bush tries the ribs at Porkers Bar-B-Que during an unexpected stop at the restaurant on Market Street in 2007. The president was in town to talk about healthcare issues, and made stops at Erlanger and the Chattanooga Convention Center.

President Donald Trump is visiting the Scenic City this weekend as he travels the country ahead of Election Day on Tuesday.

He's among six other presidents who have stopped in the city since the 1930s.

Here are some highlights:

photo Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke meets with Barack Obama in this summer 2013 file photo.

' Barack Obama: Came to Chattanooga on July 30, 2013, landing just after noon for a three-hour whirlwind visit that included a tour of Amazon at Enterprise South, where more than 2,000 heard his speech on a tax deal he said would simplify the tax code for business and create good paying jobs. Several conservative lawmakers were notably absent.

' George W. Bush: Came to Chattanooga on Feb. 21, 2007, to stump for health care. He visited Erlanger hospital, attended a roundtable discussion on health care at the Chattanooga Convention Center and famously stopped for some ribs at Porker's Bar-B-Que.

' George H.W. Bush: Made a stop at the Chattanooga airport during re-election campaign on Sept. 29, 1992, for a rally, during which he gave a 30-minute speech blasting opponent Bill Clinton. The event, which drew several thousand people to Lovell Field, was part of a multistop swing through Tennessee.

' Ronald Reagan: Came to Chattanooga on May 19, 1987, visiting with educators, officials and local high school seniors at UTC Arena to speak about education and drug abuse prevention. The president thanked former Times Free Press editor Tom Griscom, then Reagan's new director of communications, for letting him "come along." Someone aboard Air Force One had "to have a Krystal hamburger," and after some security discussions, the president's plane lifted off with enough Krystal hamburgers to feed 30 people.

' Lyndon B. Johnson: Made a campaign stop at the Lovell Field on Oct. 24, 1964, to praise Tennessee's congressional leaders and call for votes at the November 1964 polls. Johnson earned a kiss from a Ridgedale School fourth-grade teacher as he walked along a receiving line at the airport. Bradley Central High School's band played the National Anthem and McMinn County High School's band played "Hail to the Chief."

' Franklin D. Roosevelt: Visited dam while under construction and toured Chattanooga sites with wife, Eleanor, on Nov. 22, 1938, drawing 50,000 people to downtown area. Roosevelt visited again on Sept. 20, 1940, for dam's dedication. People lined McCallie Avenue from the Missionary Ridge tunnel to Georgia Avenue, as well as Market Street and Alton Park Boulevard and 38th Street as the president traveled to sites around town. Beside a huge police presence, hundreds of firemen, CCC men and local military cadets helped with security along the route.

Source: Chattanooga Public Library, Chattanooga Times Free Press archives

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